What John Jay thinks about ambition

@john-jay · 3 positions

American statesman and jurist (1745 to 1829); first Chief Justice of the US and co-author of The Federalist.

John Jay did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

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1 dated position, 1787, in their own words. Our reading of what John Jay has said — not written or endorsed by them.

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1. 7 Nov 1787

   Our readingNations generally go to war whenever they expect to gain by it

   war

   Their wordsIt is too true, however disgraceful it may be to human nature, that nations in general will make war whenever they have a prospect of getting anything by it; nay, absolute monarchs will often make war when their nations are to get nothing by it, but for the purposes and objects merely personal, such as thirst for military glory, revenge for personal affronts, ambition, or private compacts to aggrandize or support their particular families or partisans.

   ↗The Federalist Papers (1787-1788)gutenberg.org All 27 from this book